Heather Locklear's Daughter Ava Sambora Proved She's Not A Hollywood Nepo Baby Despite A Brief Model
The similarities between Ava Sambora and her celebrity mother, Heather Locklear, are uncanny. The iconic actress appeared frequently on popular shows like Melrose Place throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Heather has had only one kid, Ava, now 25 years old, throughout her professional life. Heather may have an impressive figure at 60, but her daughter is the spitting image of her mother in her younger years. Though Ava physically resembles her mother in every way, she is no longer coasting on her fame or fortune.
We can safely say that Ava Sambora can no longer be considered a nepo baby, and here’s why.
Did Ava Sambora Help Her Mother Heather Locklear Through Her Scandals?
Ava has spent her entire life in the spotlight, with regular media appearances and frequent cameos from her parents. She's always had a passion for the spotlight, whether it be onstage or in the flash of the camera.
Ava's involvement in the entertainment sector has grown in recent years, working as a model and actress. Her first song, released in 2021, marked her entry into the music industry as a performer. Her mother, on the other hand, has had a more rocky road to stardom.
Heather Locklear's daughter-lookalike, Ava, has been nothing but faithful throughout the actress's rollercoaster of scandals, arrests, and addiction troubles.
Heather's work in hugely successful dramas like Melrose Place and Dynasty made her a Hollywood icon during the '80s and '90s. However, she began a precipitous decline in the early 2000s, which included repeated brushes with the police, multiple hospitalizations, and over 20 stays in rehabilitation facilities.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Heather's daughter, Ava, whom she and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora welcomed in 1997, has reportedly been her rock during her recovery from substance abuse, which led her to become sober in 2019.
Even though it was later proven that she was sober when she was brought into custody, the incident marked the beginning of a long line of problematic projects that plagued the Spin City star.
Heather's residence would become a frequent stop for the police over the next decade, leading to eight separate arrests as she reportedly harassed officers sent to calm her. And Ava reportedly had a front-row seat to it all.
As the 61-year-old started to crumble, her daughter reportedly became distraught and “begged" her to get professional treatment.
“Ava begged her mom to go to rehab,” a source told the Daily Mail. “She wants her mother to get clean and sober once and for all.”
Then she checked into rehab, where a source said to Entertainment Tonight that her daughter pushed her to "get the help she needs." Heather also stood by actors with similar struggles with addiction, namely Charlie Sheen, after she conquered her traumas.
The young woman, who is now 25 years old, supported her mother nonetheless. In fact, Heather and her daughter appear to be closer than ever thanks to Heather's inspiring road to sobriety. Ava never gave up on her mother, despite her several stints in and out of treatment centers in the months that followed.
Despite Ava's rising stardom, she is still very close to both of her parents. Her mother, in particular, takes great pride in her daughter and often talks about her in interviews and on social media.
What Is Ava Sambora Doing Now?
Ava and her mother’s bond is comprised of love, support, and hardship, like many mother-daughter relationships. As two people in the public eye, they have experienced the demands of the spotlight, yet they certainly don’t let that affect their relationship.
Ava, who followed in her famous mother's footsteps by becoming an actress and model, has often spoken publicly about how much she has learned from her mother over the years. She has even said that Heather is responsible for helping her conquer her "debilitating" anxiety.
Heather has also been quite vocal about the importance of Ava in her life, calling her a "miracle" and complimenting her "kindness" and "strength" in past interviews.
Ava has made her mother very proud by earning a master's degree in marriage and family therapy from the University of Southern California (USC). Heather celebrated her daughter's accomplishment with the release of a photo from the event on Sunday.
"Such a proud mama," Locklear accompanied a snapshot of the 25-year-old graduate's on-stage diploma acceptance with a caption. "Congratulations, my baby, with your masters in MFT. With your hard work and perseverance and kind heart."
Ava commented on her mom’s post. “My mommy!!! Thank you!!” she wrote and followed that up with another comment. “I love you to the moon and back,” she wrote.
Ava also shared photos from her graduation ceremony on her own page, writing that she was "beyond grateful for the past two years and all the wonderful people I met along the way." She also exclaimed, "Cheers to the class of 2023!"
There was a flood of congratulations for Heather and her parents in the comments of her graduation announcement.
Heather responded to her followers, saying, "Thank you all for the likes. I did nothing for this therapist. She's a jewel. I hope she can help anyone who is struggling. I've been there."
She sure has!
Even while pursuing a career in modeling and acting, Ava continued to devote significant time and energy to treatment, all the while caring for her ailing mother. Heather told Today about all the things Ava does to take care of her, saying:
“When I would insist she did not have to, she would stay on the phone with me late into the night, until I was calm enough to sleep. She did everything she could to help me get through those difficult months, from taking me to every doctor’s appointment to giving me tons of books on managing anxiety.”
Ava is a leader, an amazing daughter, and a potential therapist for other families in distress like the one she grew up in. "Nepo baby" is not even close to being on her list of qualifications. Here's to Ava's success and growth as an individual despite the pressures of growing up in the spotlight.
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